SaharaReporters also learned that tensions flared during the court proceedings, as a supporter of Ali Isa allegedly attacked one of Umar’s key supporters by dousing his face with an unidentified substance
The Federal High Court in Gombe has granted bail to Thomas Umar, the Gombe State Coordinator of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement, in an ongoing case filed by the Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Ali Isa.
SaharaReporters also learned that tensions flared during the court proceedings, as a supporter of Ali Isa allegedly attacked one of Umar’s key supporters by dousing his face with an unidentified substance.
“One Bashir Lawan, who is Ali’s supporter, poured an unknown substance on Bayo Mark’s face. Mark is consistently a supporter of Thomas within the Federal High Court premises,” a source told SaharaReporters.
It is understood that Bashir is currently in police custody.
On May 6, the TIB Movement called for the immediate release of its Gombe State Coordinator, Thomas Umar, who has spent nearly a month in detention at the State Medium Security Custodial Centre due to Facebook posts made in 2020.
Umar was earlier remanded at the Gombe Correctional Centre after being sued by the House of Representatives Minority Chief Whip over a Facebook post made in 2020.
The case was initially scheduled for May 6, but the bail application was finally heard on May 7.
The Federal High Court in Gombe had remanded Umar in prison pending the hearing of his bail application.
This development follows a lawsuit filed by the Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Ali Isa, against Umar over critical comments he made in 2020.
During the court sitting on Thursday, April 10, the prosecution requested additional time to respond to the defence team’s bail application.
Granting the prosecution’s request, the court adjourned the case to May 6.
SaharaReporters learned that Umar remained at the Gombe Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.
A family source told SaharaReporters that the court’s Easter vacation delayed the granting of bail, as the police requested more time to respond.
“They have five working days from the date of the application to provide a response, and this period ends on Friday, which coincides with the start of the judges’ vacation,” the source explained.
“The court will go on Easter vacation tomorrow, Friday, April 11, so the case was adjourned till May 6. The plea of the defence team that he (Thomas Umar) should be kept in police custody pending the date was rejected after the prosecution opposed the motion. He has been taken to the correctional centre as of now,” the family source said.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the arraignment of Thomas Umar was postponed on Wednesday, April 9, after the defence pointed out to the judge that the charge was not yet suitable for arraignment.
Umar had previously been granted bail by the Nigeria Police Force following his arrest over a 2020 Facebook post in which he criticised Isa.
He also recounted what he described as a traumatic and suspicious series of events leading to his court appearance.
He narrated, “On January 20 this year, I was abducted in Bauchi State. The police tracked my phone, came to my hotel, blindfolded me, and transported me to Gombe without allowing me to pick any of my belongings. However, when the senior police officers reviewed the case, they noted that it was not an offence for which I should have been detained. After narrating the circumstances of my abduction, I was asked to go, and the matter was settled then and there.
“However, following the appointment of a new Commissioner of Police, the case was reactivated. This time, when the petition was written, neither I nor my lawyers were contacted for a response. They proceeded to file the case without reaching out to me. They filed a case regarding events from 2020, which had already been settled.”
Umar said he only received communication from the police after the case had already been filed.
